ninjawomble
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Pregnant women are being urged to stop using perfumes or scented creams after research suggested the products could cause unborn boys to suffer infertility or cancer in later life.
Research on rats has found the reproductive system of male foetuses could be damaged by chemicals as early as eight weeks' gestation by chemicals including those found in cosmetics.
Such damage could lead to infertility or testicular cancer, according to the research by Professor Richard Sharpe, principal investigator at the Medical Research Council's Human Sciences Unit.
The scientist said he had discovered a "time window" of eight to 12 weeks' gestation, when certain hormones in the foetus are activated and the male reproductive system comes into being.
Prof Sharpe said future problems of male fertility, including undescended testicles, low sperm count and the risk of testicular cancer could be determined at this time if these hormones, such as testosterone, do no work properly.
The experiments on rats confirmed that if the hormones are blocked the animals suffered fertility problems.
Prof Sharpe told the Scotland on Sunday newspaper his research had discovered that the male programming window occurred far earlier in foetal development than was previously thought, before the reproductive organs fully develop.
This is the time when androgens such as testosterone in the foetus are most active, he said.
He added: "Women could stop using body creams and perfumes. Although we do not have conclusive evidence that they do harm, there are components about which there are question marks; for example it could be certain combinations of chemicals."
Prof Sharpe is due to unveil his findings next week at the Simpson Symposium in Edinburgh, a gathering of fertility experts organised by Edinburgh University.
Research on rats has found the reproductive system of male foetuses could be damaged by chemicals as early as eight weeks' gestation by chemicals including those found in cosmetics.
Such damage could lead to infertility or testicular cancer, according to the research by Professor Richard Sharpe, principal investigator at the Medical Research Council's Human Sciences Unit.
The scientist said he had discovered a "time window" of eight to 12 weeks' gestation, when certain hormones in the foetus are activated and the male reproductive system comes into being.
Prof Sharpe said future problems of male fertility, including undescended testicles, low sperm count and the risk of testicular cancer could be determined at this time if these hormones, such as testosterone, do no work properly.
The experiments on rats confirmed that if the hormones are blocked the animals suffered fertility problems.
Prof Sharpe told the Scotland on Sunday newspaper his research had discovered that the male programming window occurred far earlier in foetal development than was previously thought, before the reproductive organs fully develop.
This is the time when androgens such as testosterone in the foetus are most active, he said.
He added: "Women could stop using body creams and perfumes. Although we do not have conclusive evidence that they do harm, there are components about which there are question marks; for example it could be certain combinations of chemicals."
Prof Sharpe is due to unveil his findings next week at the Simpson Symposium in Edinburgh, a gathering of fertility experts organised by Edinburgh University.
